Chapter 29

At this time, no one paid attention to Wu Wu Jinrong there anymore; just now he said that after Jia Cong wrote his poem, he would write one to match it, but Jia Cong had written such a superb 'Ode to the Plum Blossom'.

Someone as smart and calculating as Wu Wu Jinrong would likely not come out to make a fool of himself again; the crowd only wanted to savor Jia Cong's new work and had long forgotten about this boring person.

This literary gathering was originally for poetry exchange, not like a competitive examination where a ranking had to be determined; the poems written during the gathering would be compiled into a book without distinction of quality for people to enjoy.

But in their hearts, the crowd had already positioned Jia Cong's 'Bu Suan Zi, Ode to the Plum Blossom' as the best of this gathering.

Liu Liu Yanxiu and others were just about to call Jia Cong over to talk, but many people were gathered around the recording desk; some were admiring Jia Cong's calligraphy, and some were loving the new poem.

Others were introducing themselves, wanting to get to know this new talent of the literary gathering, and there were also maids coming to invite Jia Cong to the stone pavilion to talk; the scene was a bit noisy.

Suddenly, a shrill and panicked voice rang out: "Cousin, what's wrong with you? Quick, quick... someone, murder!"

The area around the recording desk was originally bustling, but hearing this horrific voice, everyone was startled.

Everyone looked for the source of the voice and saw that on a seat on the other side of the green canal, a person was sitting there with his head hanging low, as motionless as a clay sculpture or wax figure, appearing somewhat eerie.

The Prince's guards swarmed over, swords drawn, and in an instant, they surrounded the stone pavilion tightly.

"Prince, Wu Wu Jinrong's body is still warm, and the blood on the ground hasn't coagulated yet. The murderer must have acted not long ago and likely hasn't escaped the mansion yet. I have already ordered the guards to strictly inspect the four gates."

"Reporting to the Prince, the one killed is Wu Wu Jinrong, a junior compiler of the Hanlin Academy. He was stabbed in the back with a knife, straight into his heart, and then quickly pulled out; the blood drained from his back."

The stone pavilion contained not only Prince Prince Jia Shun but also Liu Liu Yanxiu, the master of literature, and Zhang Zhang Tianshi of the Zhengyi sect; they were the most important people here, so their safety was naturally the top priority.

The one speaking was Liu Liu Xiangyong, the commander of the Prince's mansion guards, a thirty-year-old man with a sturdy build, wearing armor, a broad sword hanging at his waist, and sporting a short mustache, his eyes flashing with brilliance.

At this moment, everyone noticed a heart-palpitating smell of blood beginning to permeate the air.

This person was Qiu Qiu Xuanfu, who had just insulted Jia Cong to his face.

Prince Prince Jia Shun's face was full of anger: "What a bold thief, killing people in broad daylight, this is too much bullying."

"The sharp blade didn't pierce through the chest, so there was no abnormality from the front. The killer's technique was brilliant; Wu Wu Jinrong must have stopped breathing very quickly, not even having time to struggle."

"Liu Liu Xiangyong, guard the four gates of the villa strictly; allow entry but no exit. Do not let the thief escape."

The scholars participating in the literary gathering were all panicked; a pile of Prince's mansion guards had long since surrounded them, partly for protection and partly for surveillance to prevent further accidents.

Even that Qiu Qiu Xuanfu, who was shaking like a sieve, was controlled by two guards.

Although that person was hanging his head and his face couldn't be seen clearly, judging by his attire and slightly chubby build, it was indeed Wu Wu Jinrong, who had just been squeezing Jia Cong about his poetry.

Wang Dong took the Prince's mansion guard commander Liu Liu Xiangyong to check Wu Wu Jinrong's body and returned to the stone pavilion after a while.

Not far from him stood a young scholar of medium build, his face pale, his expression terrified, and he retreated several steps, trembling all over.

"Wang Dong, immediately send someone to the Zhen'an Prefecture to report the case and have them bring people over to hunt down the murderer."

"I want to ask Zhang Shou'an how he is serving as the Zhen'an Prefecture Magistrate; thieves dare to break into my villa to kill people—this is truly lawless!"

Jia Cong's heart was pounding; in both his lives combined, this was the first time he had been at a murder scene, and the person who died had just been boasting in front of him.

The atmosphere of the entire Shuyun Villa was very solemn and oppressive; time passed slowly, second by second. The old scholars and famous masters who had just been full of literary thoughts were now all wilted and full of fear.

They had come to the Nanxi Literary Gathering with dignity, but now someone had been killed in the hall. Now the Prince had sealed the four gates, and the killer was trapped in the villa and couldn't escape.

These refined scholars were in the same villa as that brutal killer; what if the other party knew they couldn't escape and came out to kill people to vent their anger? Wouldn't they lose their lives too?

Time dragged on for nearly an hour like this, when the guards at the gate reported that Zhen'an Prefecture Magistrate Zhang Shou'an had arrived at the villa gate with his subordinates—judges, coroners, and a large group of constables and yamen runners.

Since the founding of the Great Zhou, the Love Shenjing had been undergoing major construction, and the scope of the city walls had been constantly expanding, becoming the largest metropolis on the Eastern Continent.

Merchants from the north and south, and distant neighboring countries, all gathered toward the magnificent and prosperous capital as if on a pilgrimage.

The Love Shenjing originally had only one prefecture office, which could no longer bear the complicated political affairs increased by the expansion of the city walls; that year, Emperor Emperor Hongxuan issued an edict to add another prefecture to the Love Shenjing.

This formed the current pattern where the Qinian Prefecture managed the East City of the Love Shenjing, and the Zhen'an Prefecture managed the West City of the Love Shenjing.

Zhen'an Prefecture Magistrate Zhang Shou'an was a forty-year-old veteran official, a graduate of the imperial examinations, who had drifted in the officialdom for half his life, and only after his beard had turned white did he luckily sit on the throne of Zhen'an Prefecture Magistrate.

This was already the peak of his half-life official career; although his talent was ordinary, he was diligent enough. He had been in the position of Prefecture Magistrate for two years, working conscientiously, and nothing major had happened.

He had hoped to endure for another year or two in the position of Prefecture Magistrate, wait for the next evaluation and transfer to get another good position, and then he could retire successfully when he reached fifty.

He didn't expect that just after the New Year, under his jurisdiction, a thief would openly kill someone in Prince Prince Jia Shun's villa.

Upon hearing this news, he scrambled out of his new concubine's bed, took his capable judges and constables from the Zhen'an Prefecture, and rushed toward Shuyun Villa like the wind.

Prince Prince Jia Shun had held the Nanxi Literary Gathering several times, which was not only famous in the Love Shenjing and admired by the scholarly world, but also had a great reputation throughout the Great Zhou.

Now that a famous scholar participating in the literary gathering had been killed in broad daylight, where could Prince Prince Jia Shun put his face? Naturally, he didn't have a good look for the arriving Zhen'an Prefecture Magistrate.

Seeing the Prince's cold face, Zhang Shou'an was also somewhat uneasy; Prince Prince Jia Shun was very close to the current Emperor. If he were to speak to the Emperor about this matter, his career as a Prefecture Magistrate would be over.

The only way now was to find the murderer as quickly as possible to make up for it.

So he arranged for his coroner to examine the body and learned the ins and outs of the matter from Wang Dong.

Soon, the coroner's results were reported, and they were almost identical to what the Prince's mansion guard commander Liu Liu Xiangyong had said.

Then Zhang Shou'an arranged for people to question and record everyone participating in the literary gathering; even Jia Cong was questioned by a yamen runner. The whole process looked quite professional and orderly.

But Jia Cong found it somewhat unconvincing; although he wasn't familiar with investigation, many people had just gathered around the recording desk, and the few seats near Wu Wu Jinrong were empty.

The seats further away didn't have the convenience of killing due to the distance. Now, what use was it to interrogate these scholars who couldn't even truss a chicken?

It gave the killer a chance to catch their breath; they might have already escaped the villa.

Just as things were chaotic, the guards at the gate reported that Zhou Zhou Junxing, the Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and head of the Investigation Court, requested an audience.

(End of chapter)